Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-02-11

Abstract OFF Nt Archibald Iaylur's lecture Don the
University course at Burlington. Feb l.I
une ct the Diseases OF cattle by which
farmers sustain their greatest losses g. ah.
ortio Am authorities m print You will
find. agree that this difficulty Dis contagious
in the highest degree. For the past four
teen year. have given this subject the
closest attention On the Vermont stock F.
farm. of which was In charge we had
many cases of abortion causing a great loss
ul valuable COWS. ! found that some farm
ers i'm the vicinity never had any abortion
on their farms while others had frequent .
cases of it and began investigating the
subject My first starting point wa, that
this disease is NOT contagious. At that time
! had 81 COWS in breeding condition. !
made q record of each lows condition, and
kept u weekly record of her temperature,
also noting the condition ul the manure IN
the draught and in the pasture also the
condition of feed i'm Che stable and IN the
pasture ] found that there existed great
sympathy between the organs of digestion
and reproduction As soon as the temper
allure advanced above the normal point, lOl
degrees the bowels showed relaxed con
ditiun. due TO too stimulating and too re
laxnr feed 1t ives in this condition of
the digestive organs, found. that abortlons
occur. The large amount of blood called
condition, takes the nourishment from the
foetus, and at last it dies of starvation and
is severed from the umbelical cord When
the COW ahorts between the 9th and 18th
month the foetus has very little hair upon
it, Everything indicates that 1t died of
starvation This is "a theory OF my own
! am confident from my experience that
abortion can be prevented with proper
care and it is not "a contagious disease.
ANY food that will keep up relaxed con
dition of the bowels produces abortion.
[ The Young growth of timothy IN Septem
/ her, October and November is highly charg-
ed with water. and cows consume it freely.
/ 1t tends to produce relaxation of the bow
/ els and high temperature above the normal.
/ In this condition the process of starvation
/ of the foetus is in progress. The success
/ sion of cases of this kind IN the same nerd
! produces the impression that the disease is
! contagious. Many COWS are abOrted 10y
being fed ON mpertectly cured timothy hay.
/ Corn meal. or hnseed meal or ground oats
produce the same result All these may be
fed but with extreme care Cows in calf
should be kept on a dry, poor pasture not
low and moist find that there Is no trou-
BILE from abortion when slightly cunstiput
ed condition of the bowels is maintained
This i, produced 10y using dry food, such as
cat straw or oats uuthreshed
Cows very rarely abort from accident
Caring of cattle usually produces constipu
ton. So that abortion can hardly he laid To-
this cause Cows in calf. If fed grain, had
better have it dry as it Is not So relaxing
in this condition All relaxing grains may
be fed with care Ensilage may be fed To
some extent, and does not seem to be re
laxing. Abortion is always accompanied
by low state of fever The temperatur,
of cattle may be taken by the ordinary vet
Urinary thermometer inserted in the rectum.
The COW need not lee removed from the
farm when she aborts. for the disease Is
not contagious. A COW that has ahorted
once is not rendered more likely To abort
again
Green. succulent corn does not seem Ia
produce a relaxed condition ui the nuWelS
once attributed abortion to erEot, said Mr.
Tavlor. but that theory discarded, ON the
ground that | could feed cattle So that no
abortion can take place. ANY case of los
ing "a calf up 10 the eight month is abortion.
Abortion IN @ COW leaves "a foreign sub
stance. which ha, to decay and i- likely 10
produce disease If the afterhirth comes
away, naturally in spite of abortion, it i-
announcement 10 keep the COW The Coz"
may he MIXED a week or two weeks before
D. coming m without detrment. cor with pos.
tive advantage. as there is les, danger .t
milk fever Hot water applied with cloths
should bc used To- battle q feversh bag
rubbing is also beneficial The after-bi
$ is generally tightly attached, but sometime
il can be removed hy the hand or 10y am iu
lection OF a weak solution of carholIc acid.
Fl This however. is rarely done with success.
Cows will abort anywhere between go to So
, days after time of serving The genera
period Is from five and a half up To- sever
I months from time of serving.
There Is one disease tuberculosis that j.
F. of danger to milk consumers Cunsump
q ton i'll COWS. it is claimed by the best an
I thorities. is transmttible to the human sys
y TEN. 1t is very rare, however. that tuber
g culosiS takes hold of the milk glands tn
" berculosis is exactly the same thing as con
sumption i'll the human being, except tina
the manner of disposing of the secretion
$ formed Is somewhat different The dseasl
t. is contagious A cow may nave it for
o long time, and vet give no sign OF il Tn
a first sign Is IA loss of flesh and tghtness o
# the skin ON the homes The cows whicl
II give heavy secretion of milk are the mos
n liable to this disease Beef diseased by IN
is berculosis is largely used 10y the came,
d meat men, who can buy consumptive cattl
q very cheap Of our farmers.
A wash of alum water is of benefit wher
If cows have lost their wethers Reverse tn
t. condition of the stalls also, tipping them tn
If other way, so that when the COW lies dow
4, the pressure viii be forward